April 1, 2008 4:05 PM

If ever a man looked like a sheriff, it’s Jack Anderson. The mustachioed man is tall and husky and, if he wore a cowboy hat, would cast an impressive shadow sitting on a horse.

Of course, the wild—ridiculously wild—west days at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) should be over. Ex-Sheriff Mike Carona and his evil sidekicks Jo Ann Galisky and Steven Bishop have found their rightful places in society. Carona teeters on the brink of prison if convicted later this year in a bribery/obstruction of justice scheme. Fired or forced out of their assistant sheriff jobs, Galisky and Bishop nowadays can soil only their plain clothes.

Sitting atop the OCSD is acting Sheriff Jack Anderson, a 47-year-old Illinois native who begs reporters not to tie him to . . . (in a Monday interview, he made a dismissive sweeping motion with his right hand, and then said) . . . “the previous sheriff and all of his problems.”

Anderson doesn’t have to be particularly wise to appreciate that Carona and his former inner circle at the department are politically radioactive. And yet—like Galisky, Bishop and ex-assistant sheriffs turned felons George Jaramillo and Don Haidl—Anderson can’t deny the truth: Carona put the stars on his uniform and welcomed him into an arrogant OCSD inner sanctum that prized deceit above all else.

But Jack doesn’t want to be in the Carona box. “I’m not part of all that,” he told me. “That’s the past. It’s unfair to tie me to it. I think I can take this department back to what it should be—a place where people are proud to work and the public can trust.”

What influence does Carona have today? I asked.

“None,” said Anderson. “That’s the way it should be. He is history.”

As evidence, he pointed to a wall near the sheriff’s inner office that once held photographs of a smiling Carona embracing Hollywood celebrities and fellow politicians. “It was all about him, you know?” said Anderson.

He replaced the photographs with a motto etched into the wall: “The men and women of the sheriff’s department are its heart and the institution is greater than any individual.”

Is Anderson merely telling outsiders what he thinks they want to hear? Skeptics say yes. They insist that the department needs a thorough break from Carona and his assistants. And they are none too keen on what they see as behind-the-scenes ties between Anderson and Carona adviser Mike Schroeder.

“Jack is a nice guy, but he’s not the independent leader we need,” said Bill Hunt, the high-ranking deputy whom a pre-indicted Carona fired because he’d challenged him in the 2006 elections. “Jack’s baggage is Carona and Schroeder. They wrecked the department. We’ve got to get beyond these people.”

Hunt, who scored the recent endorsement of the deputies’ union, is one of nearly two dozen applicants hoping to be selected June 3 by the county’s Board of Supervisors. The prize? Head California’s second largest sheriff’s department. Other local candidates include Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Commander Ralph Martin, Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters and Craig Hunter, deputy chief of police in Anaheim.

From Schroeder's perspective, one candidate has zero chance of winning.

"Hunt claims that he is the corruption fighter but ignores the two 800-pound elephants in the room," Schroeder told the Weekly. "The first elephant is that the Attorney General determined that Hunt engaged in a cover-up relating to Don Haidl and George Jaramillo, including the altering of official reports. Mr. Hunt also claims that Anderson is tainted because he was promoted by Carona. This brings us to the second elephant in the room: Hunt was also promoted to all of his management positions by the former sheriff. Hunt may think he is a strong candidate, but with these elephants on his back, no one outside his inner circle seriously regards him as such."

Based on numerous interviews, it appears that Hunt's support is largely from the public. No surprise there. Hunt is the man who finished second against Carona in the last election. But views among members of the Board of Supervisors apparently differ. Depending on who you talk to, the top three local candidates appear to be Walters, Anderson and Martin.

A move by Supervisor Janet Nguyen to conduct a national interview process has had the effect of giving Anderson--once a dark horse, at best--a chance. He's effectively the incumbent now. On a daily basis, he's able to enhance his public image by speaking at crime scenes and issuing reforms. Perhaps more important, he’s got a powerful fan.

“When I got here as a supervisor, I was amazed at how oppositional Mike Carona was as sheriff,” said John Moorlach, chairman of the board of supervisors. “Jack’s embraced initiatives. He’s doing the right things for the department. Right now, I’d give him an A plus.”

(Moorlach also complimented other known candidates, calling them each “viable, fine men.”)

But Moorlach has just one vote. It’s going to take at least a three-vote majority of the board to pick who will serve as interim sheriff until the 2010 elections. That reality could help Walters compete, insiders tell the Weekly. Santa Ana’s top cop recently hired as consultants savvy Republican political veterans John Lewis and Matt Holder, the duo who used to work for Carona. The move might prove brilliant. Lewis has two clients on the board: supervisors Chris Norby and Bill Campbell.

“Sure, other people are angling for the job,” said Adam Probolsky, a onetime Carona campaign volunteer who now advises Anderson and Supervisor Nguyen. “But Jack isn’t focused on the politics. He’s focused on accomplishing things. He’s a grounded guy, honest. We’re done with the arrogant we’re-better-than-you attitude at the sheriff’s department.”

We well know that the lure of taking control of the OCSD—and its $800 million annual budget, spy equipment and 4,000 employees—is intoxicating. Weak individuals can't handle the power. History proves this.

Anderson wants me to know that he’s not going to follow Carona’s path. He walked me into the sheriff’s window-loaded office that faces Orange County’s central courthouse and a high school football stadium. It’s vacant, except for sparse furniture and a single large plant.

From January 1999 until the beginning of this year, this spot had been ground zero for an egomaniacal money-power-sex-hungry villain who hasn't shown a hint of shame for disgracing his department, much less his family and community.

We silently looked around. "I haven’t moved in here," Anderson eventually said. "I could, but I’d rather wait and see who the supervisors pick to serve as our next sheriff. I think it’s time for dignity, honor and respect to be restored to this office."

Is this guy for real?

-- R. Scott Moxley / OC Weekly

Comments (45)

The OC Sheriff's Department serves all of the children, adults and families in Orange County, California..... NOT JUST THE REPUBLICANS! Those who do not practice integrity in this regard needs to find new employment... and those who do respect the oath they have taken to protect the public, thank you for all you do!

The sooner dirty, evil and corrupt politics are removed from the Sheriff's Department, the better off this county will be. That means the OCSD must rid itself of the influences from BOTH Schroeders and the extended political protections that the OCDA continues to extend, without logic or reason.

The OC Board of Supervisors are getting a bit too cozey and politically-connected with the OC Sheriff's Department. Does anyone in this county ever learn anything from past mistakes?

No offense to Jack Anderson. After reading this, he seems okay but we need a man like Bill Hunt to lead the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Hunt had the courage to speak out against Mike Carona when nobody else in the sheriff's department would. That should count for something big.

I agree with the first comment to this report. If the same slimy Orange County Republican operatives who kept Carona in power are now running the show regarding the picking of the next sheriff, we need to be concerned. I don't trust any of them. What I hear about Ralph Martin is all good. He is not tied to Carona and he has the experience to be a good sheriff for us.

Jack has always been a "Yes" man/boy...His entire career has been doing what he needs to do to please his superiors in hopes of being where he is at right now...
In law enforcement, people like him are resented and not respected!
Hunt has his faults like all humans, but he is endorsed by the Sheriffs Employees, and now the D.A Association.
Lastly and most important, the voters of this County voted Hunt within one percent of Carona...How do you ignore those facts?

My family implores the board of supervisors to be honest and pick someone who is honorable. We have read the stories of corruption and been shocked that this is allowed to happend in Orange County. If Bill Hunt is a decent man, we hope he is given an honest chance to get the job. No more Mike Carona liar types, please!

In response to R. Scott Moxley's post "Sheriff (Jack) in the Box", there are too many ongoing legal conflicts of interest preventing Sheriff Anderson from rebuilding the Sheriff's Department with pride and dedication.

If Sheriff Anderson is serious about cleaning up the Sheriff's Department, then he needs to issue a WRITTEN PRESS RELEASE stating that Michael J. Schroeder, Esq., is no longer acting as the political advisor to the OC Sheriff's Department. Mr. Schroeder's associations with the OC Sheriff and the OC District Attorney, while his wife, Susan Kang Schroeder, Esq., is employed by the DA as his Public Affairs Counsel, continues to pose serious legal, moral, government, financial, political and religious conflicts of interest. Tragically, the OC Board of Supervisors and California's Attorney General have ignored conflicts, despite multiple public requests for corrective action.

After the public record has been set straight regarding Michael J. Schroeder, Esq.'s political affiliation with the OC Sheriff's Department, then I will pray that the OC District Attorney Anthony Rackauckas, Esq., will issue a similar statement to Michael J. Schroeder, Esq., requesting that he cease representing himself as the political advisor to the Orange County District Attorney. As a public servant, DA Rackauckas has the duty to eliminate the appearance of conflicts and conflicts while serving the citizens of the County of Orange, and has refused to do so after public requests.

In sum, POLITICS have obstructed due process of the law, the fair administration of justice, the protections of children from sexual predators employed by religious institutions, potential school zone violence and the protections of Whistleblower employees from career and financial ruin. NO CHILD, ADULT, EMPLOYEE OR FAMILY is safe in Orange County, California, until elected public officials serve the public in the interests of justice and safety, as guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America.

Regarding the post that Schroeder is acting as political adviser to the OC Sheriff, is it a paid position or an official liaison if not paid? Does the OC Sheriff (not Anderson specifically) have an official adviser on the OC payroll? If Schroeder isn't being paid by the county, then who is paying him for political advice?

As an Orange County law enforcement officer for thirty-five years, I have worked with the Sheriffs Department and seen them in action under two Sheriffs.

The County of Orange doesn't need a nationwide search for a new Sheriff when they already have a world class professional in their backyard. If the County could be fortunate to lure Paul Walters away from Santa Ana, it would be like winning the lottery. Sheriff Walters would fine tune the department (already a good organization) to bring it to the same high standards of service provide by Santa Ana Police Department.

Absent the ability to recruit Paul Walters, I would recommend staying with Jack Anderson. I have never met Anderson, but his performance thus far and many of his ideas are very good and merit serious consideration. Consideration of Bill Hunt, would be like elevating a high school baseball player directly to the big leagues. Hunt, as a former Lieutenant, lacks both management experience and view of the big picture. I would also forget Ralph Martin who as an outsider from Los Angeles would have a difficult time breaking into the culture of the Sheriffs Department. Don't know anything about Craig Hunter however Anaheim, is an excellent police department and as a Deputy Chief, his qualifications are likely to be high. I would like to hear more about his ideas for the Sheriffs Department.

The bottom line is that the Board of Supervisors need to get off the dime and get something done in the near future and quit marking time. The employees of the Sheriffs Department and citizens of Orange County deserve no less.

Pat,
I remember you from Irvine and couldn't agree more. A very well thought out post from someone who has the experience to know what he is talking about. It's a nice change of pace from the rantings of the lunatic fringe.

Patrick Rodgers' respectful post that he actually signed is very refreshing to see here in the OC! Thank you for having the class to state an opinion, sign your name and hold your head up high. Any chance former Irvine officer Rodgers' has time to consult for the County of Orange elected officials?

Far and away the most qualified person to be the next OC Sheriff is Ralph Martin. He's smart, tough, experienced and isn't beholdened to certain evil elements in Orange County politics. If the supervisors have the public interest in mind, they will select Martin. He is the choice who starts a fresh clean start at a department that desperately needs professional management.

Walters seems okay, but why not keep Anderson in there since he's been doing a pretty good job thus far. Instead of cutting off your nose to spite your face why not give the guy a chance. Why have the learning curve of Walters trying to understand what Anderson already knows. Just a thought. The article seemed enlightening and positive to me.

The last question about Anderson in the article asked if he is for real. The answer is an unequivocal yes! He's not flashy, he's not the polished politician that his predecessor was. He's simply a guy who says what he means and lives by the motto "do the right thing".

It's time for the Sheriff of Orange County to be accountable to the citizenry. Jack Anderson has demonstrated that he will work WITH the county's elected officials and hold himself to the same standards that he asks the department's members to.

It's only been a few weeks, but he's already shown the ability to take on the job. I say let him have it. He's earned it.

Qualifications should be paramount. If you compare the accomplishments of all these men, Ralph Martin is the guy who stands out as superior. Anderson, Hunt and Walters are decent people but they could use several years working as Martin's assistants before they might be qualified to hold the job. They aren't seasoned enough. The one thing I'd like to hear more from Martin on is how he'd clean up the jails. It's gotten out of control in there.

Pretty tame article as far as Scott goes. But I'm thinking that Anderson in some manner will be ensnared by the soon to be released Grand Jury report.It may prove difficult, if not impossible, for him to separate himself from the Carona cult. Galiski and Bishop never got(or wanted)that chance. Remember how he got to be AS and now acting Sheriff. The latter was well planned. I think minority Moorlach was part of that. I'm looking for someone to provide the knock out blow to the Carona arrogance that still permeates the department. Hunt is the guy for that. If GED Galinski, Bailiff Carona and soon to have a degree Anderson can run the place a real cop (with a Masters) like Hunt can. The others are waiting for the spoils after Hunt put it on the line. He deserves it.

Sorry, Retired Deputy, I am afraid you have your facts a little reversed. The only one of the known candidates who has any policy-level command experience is Walters--at least 20 years worth. Anderson's experience at that level is now going on a couple of months, max, and he is getting most if not all of his instruction from Carona's handlers and the BOS. Because of the structure of the LASD, Ralph Martin is more like a Lieutenant would be in any of the OC agencies. He has several levels of rank over him from whom he takes orders. Hunt was barely a Lieutenant when he resigned from the OCSD and realistically doesn't even meet the minimum requirements to be an assistant sheriff in the organization.

Bill Hunt should be rewarded for doing exactly what Jack Anderson should have done, and didn't, stand up to Carona and tell the world that "the King has no clothes". Not now, but back when it was dangerous both politically and career wise. Anderson has the stink of Carona all over him. The deputies should have what they want, and what they want is for Bill Hunt to be the next Sheriff!

Actually, one of the numerous reasons Hunt got demoted was that he actively campaigned while on duty--something he was warned not to do. There are other reasons but he won't let anyone have a look at those documents.

Actually Brick that's not accurate. Line by line item in the "documents" is ALL about things Hunt said during the campaign while off duty. Little things that Carona found annoying. You know, integrity, scandal. Things like that. So annoying in fact that Carona couldn't control himself and the decision was made to put Hunt on leave before the sun was up the next day. Like one of the commentators said: Machiavelli would of been more subtle. I think the hatchet man that day was Moorlach's boy Anderson. So long as Hunt is sueing Carona (T-O-A-S-T), don't think we will see much talk about Hunt's demotion.

It is pathetic that some people would try to spin Hunt's challenge to Carona as something dishonorable. Dishonorable were all the people who kept their mouths shut or actually supported Carona. One of those was Paul Walters. That's a fact. When he's in front of the board of supervisors for his interview next month, let's hope he has a good explanation for why he defended a dirty sheriff.

Bill Hunt for Sheriff? Doesn;t anyone remember the late night phone call between him and George Jarmillo where they conspired together to not arrest young Mr Haidl when he was found in possession of marijuana, while he was awaiting his 2nd RAPE trial. Hunt is a bully and dishonest to boot. As for the Ass of Deputy Sheriff's support of Hunt, what does that tell you? They supported Corona for reelection. They have THEIR interests are heart which, unfortunately may not be the same interests as the citizens of The OC.

Hey Rhymes. Facts do seem to evolve and people forget as time goes by. The officer on scene couldn't tag Haidle with the pot. The other kid later fessed up and said it was his. Haidle was driven home like is routinely done with kids all over the county. The AOCDS endorsed Hunt in 2006. As for Hunt being a bully and dishonest, that's the first I have ever heard of it.

Sam, as a fan of Bill Hunt, perhaps you know him better than most and see some level of knowledge, skills and abilities not apparent to the rest of us.

I personally don't know the man and have no idea what his personality or leadership skills may or may not be. It is my understanding that as a Lieutenant, Hunt did an excellent job and was well liked in his role of Police Chief for San Clemente. However, as I suspect you know already, that assignment can be compared with managing a Bureau in a medium to large Police Agency. The question then becomes, does this give him the leadership and management experience to step into the role of CEO (Sheriff) of a large organization. You are kidding yourself if you think the answer is "Yes."

Another question is why would the Sheriff's Association back Hunt over someone like Paul Walters or Ralph Martin? With seventeen years as President of the Irvine Police Association, I can answer that question. The Sheriffs Association sole function is to represent the best interests of their membership. They take that charge seriously and do no less than an excellent job. If they want Bill Hunt, it is because they have met with him (prior to the endorsement), gotten committments on certain issues of importance and have developed a quid pro quo relationship. Their goal is not to hire the best leader, but rather the person who will suit their needs. I am not critical of the Sheriffs Association, because that is their job. We did exactly the same thing in Irvine when our original Police Chief retired and the City Manager was considering three candidates to replace him. Unfortunately, the City Manager did not listen to the Association, or a number of other people and we were stuck with a dud as Chief for ten long years. Because of standing up to the new Chief regarding the rights of our Officers, I too felt the sting of retribution, as did Bill Hunt. I can fully empathize with him on his experience with Mike Corona. The bottom line is; we both knew how the game was played, still entered the arena to do battle and left scarred, but with no regrets. For this Bill Hunt gets an A in my book for doing the right thing. However, in real life, doing the right thing doesn't always get you the golden ring.

In conclusion, I stick to my original thought that no candidate has better leadership qualifications and we will all be best served if Paul Walters gets the job. If that happens, I predict that even the Sheriffs Association will be pleasantly surprised.

Paul Walters has way too much baggage. He double dips his salary at SAPD which is something taxpayers are sick of, he dumped his wife for a Deputy and his ex has been calling and slamming him to the BOS.

Walters openly endorsed Carona during the last election.

Walters also has attempted to and failed to win the LAPD, OCSG, and OC Marshall jobs...so much for loyalty to the troops at SAPD. He is too old and should be retiring but has to double dip his salary probably due to his divorce.

Boy don't you just love fools who absent facts always resort to personal attacks. Yes, Bill I am referring to your message. It is not my place to defend Chief Walters, but I found several accusatons personally offensive and worthy of a response.

First, I don't know Paul Walters, but am aware of his reputation for leadership. He is the kind of Chief I would like to have had in Irvine instead of the looser we were saddled with. I could be wrong, but unless Santa Ana Police Association has changed, they would never tolerate poor management practices by anyone, including the Chief. I cannot attest to what degree of loyalty his Officers have, or do not have for him, but perhaps someone from Santa Ana will share that with us.

On the salary issue, that might be best answered by the City Council and the citizens of Santa Ana. When Chief Walters took his well earned retirement under the State of California (PERS) Retirement Plan, the City Council thought highly enough of his leadership ability to hire him back on a contract. Contracts are not an uncommon practice for cities when hiring both City Managers and Police Chiefs. With the contract, Santa Ana is no longer paying a retirement contribution on his behalf and as such, is saving money. Chief Walter's retirement check comes from the State of California (PERS) and his contract salary from the City of Santa Ana. To use your convoluted definition of double dipping, I too would also be guilty. I am collecting a retirement check from the State of California (PERS) and have been working as a Contract Training Consultant for the federal government in Afghanistan and Iraq. The actions of both Chief Walters and myself are not double dipping and we both earn our money.

Your next character negative would be funny, if it wern't so pathetic. Divorce is a commonality in today's society and touches all professions. In law enforcement it is especially tough due to the nature of the job, long hours away from home and many who put the job before family. Ex-wives or husbands are dime a dozen and can be a problem because Police Officers are held to a higher standard than the average citizen. Departments do not like to get complaints from Ex's but unfortunately that is life in the 21st Century. Unless you have inside information, I doubt Chief Walters is still working because of his divorce. Most likely he still loves the job and feels he can make a contribution as a leader. Actions always speak louder than words and from what I see in the level of professionalism at Santa Ana P.D., leadership is at work there throughout the organization. Sorry pal, your age bias doesn't wash with me.

Lastly, a lot of reputable people supported Mike Corona in his last election effort. Did we make a mistake? Guilty as charged. Politicians, even those you think you know well, sometimes surprise us with their latent shortcomings. It is called being Human and none of us are exempt. Bill, if you are a Republican and voted for George Bush in either of the last two elections, many would cast you in the same light that you use for Chief Walters.

In conclusion, I am a country boy from Texas and my daddy always taught me, "son if you can't say something good about a person, don't say anything at all." Guess I have violated that rule with this communication. Sorry Dad.

Patrick. I think you really don't have far to look to recognize that Hunt has the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the job. It's apparent when you put certain facts together. As I said earlier, others are less qualified educationally and experience wise yet they managed to keep things together. The department has been running operationally the same way just fine for years. With any organization delegation of duties is key. Hunt has gardnered majority support of the politicians, City managers and public he served in no uncertain terms. He has managed to get the endorsement of AOCDS together with the Firefighters Association. That there is no small task since those two have been pacing around each other on funding for quite some time. These accomplishments to me depicts an individual adept at accomadating different personalities and an ability to work with them as a whole.

Surely AOCDS knows what side their bread is buttered. However, They would know better than anybody who is capable of running the department particularly if it is one of their own who knows the players. On that note, you probably didn't see the Association poll because Walters came in a close second to Hunt. So I don't think Walters or Hunt cut any back room deals with the Association and I can't imagine what type of deal that would be. You yourself admit that your Association wasn't listened to with the end result of a Dud Chief.

It took character for Hunt to place his career on the line with a wife and a bunch of young kids to worry about. That's why I'm a "fan". Walters is no doubt qualified as are most of the remainder of the field. I chose Walters over Carona in '98. However, The BOS have their own agenda notwithstanding what the voters said in 2006.

Bill Hunt is NOT the answer. He has his own corrupt past for us to worry about.

As for Paul Walters, please. He is the head of the worst police department in Orange County. And he endorsed Carona in 2006. What a joke! Why in the Hell would you hire the guy who has been in charge while Santa Ana has become a crime cesspool to be the O.C. Sheriff? Santa Ana had three carjackings last month! Why would we want to share that sort of record with the rest of Orange County?

We really need to be very careful when looking at these candidates...Jack has always been a company man, this has nothing to do with Carona. Jack would have been that same supervisor under whomever would have been Sheriff.
Look at Bill Hunt, he was a great cop. Yes he had some racist sexist attitudes about Hispanics, blacks, and female employees. But listen to his interviews, he sounds like an angry cop. He can inspire the troops, but can he be sympathetic to all communities needs. Who would you trust with an 800 million dollar budget.
Both Martin and Walters have the experience to budget professionally, and they have been in charge of diverse communities. They are good leaders, not just good cops.
So it is up to you, do you want a....
Good Company Man---Jack Anderson
A Good Cop---Bill Hunt
A Good Leader Walters or Martin
So far I have not seen any of these candidates be all three.

It's time to expose all and everyone involved with rampant corruption in the OC system. I came across this link at familylawcourts.com talking about the Perjury Palace that is the OC family courts and a very popular OC resident (due to reality TV show fame) George Peterson.

It appears that Mr. Peterson has been monopolizing the court room of Judge Nancy Pollard with extensive ex-partes and continuances and it reads that there is bias and other "shenanagins" going on. Scroll down about 1/3 of the way to a segment titled "Blog exposes one alienating father".

I would like Moxley to do a follow-up on this. It's running rampant in our OC judicial system and we need someone to bring it to the forefront! It is affecting our kids!!!

Station 18 may be right that the give the deputies what they want in Bill Hunt but has overlooked the professional staff and they dont want Bill Hunt He will take the department back 20 years and instead of the inmates being the abused it will be the professional staff thank god im retired but i would feel sorry for my former co-workers if they had to deal with Hunt he has skeletons in his closet too bring in new leadership from outside

What the hell are you talking about Art Pedroza?. Have you ever worked for Paul Walter or were u arrested by him? U are a BIG A__ Hole for making that remark.. I bet u have no clue what SAPD Officers go through, do you??? I guess not..All u haters of Paul Walters need to speak the facts. Not from hearsay....So what if he back Corona. Shit I voted for Bush and I'm sorry I did...I bet u have done things in the past and wished you havent..Or are u perfect... Hey why don't u run for Sheriff you don't need to be a cop.
Come on Art do it lets see u fallon that fat ass of urs....

Paul Walters may be a good man. I honestly don't know. But he endorsed Carona in the last election when it was clear to many, many people that Carona was corrupt. That's not good judgement. The public deserves a sheriff who puts public service--not his career--above everything else. Also, Walters is using John Lewis as his consultant to win the job. Lewis worked for Carona. No offense to Mr. Walters, but shouldn't we move far away from Carona and his entourage for the next sheriff?